Device and process for the separation of gas mixtures with pressure swing adsorption

摘要

The gas separation device using adsorption under pressure variations comprises at least one adsorber (A) and at least a first volume (T) which is selectively connectable by at least a first line (3) to the adsorber to temporarily store a gaseous fraction extracted from the adsorber and reintroduce it later in the cycle. The first volume has a fixed free internal volume V, a principal vertical direction with a height h such that 25 ≤ h<3>/V ≤ 150. The first line is connected to the lower part of the first volume. Also claimed are: (i) a process using the above device where in sequence there is a production phase, a regeneration phase and a recompression phase, in which the time of storage of the gaseous fraction in the first volume does not exceed 300 seconds; and (ii) use of the above process and device to produce hydrogen from a gaseous mixture including hydrogen, or to produce oxygen from air.